Customer Reviews

Skorzeny (Ballantine's illustrated history of the violent century. War leader book no. 11)

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Another well researched and fair evaluation of one of WWII's most notorious charcters. Otto Skorzeny once again had a certain amount of influence over the content, giving his last interview before his death from a war wound in 1976. The book provides an entertaining and intriguing perspective on the development of German special forces, as well as Skorzeny's own colourful personal life. Whilst Charles Foley's book 'Commando Extraordinary' goes into the German commando exploits of the war in far greater detail, this book reviews most of Skorzeny's postwar activites, a field previously not written about. Not only does it reveal several key examples of allied treachery and wrongdoing towards the end of the war years, but also a slightly lighter and poignant side to Skorzeny, demonstrating his loyalty to his country and comrades, not it's regime. Essential for anyone interested in the man himself, but not one to start with.

This book by Charles Whiting had its beginning as a Ballantine trade paperback in the Illustrated History Of World War II, a series of books issued in the 1960's and early 1970's. I have a volume from this series, The Luftwaffe by Alfred Price, in my library. This particular book by Whiting was number 11 in the Leader's series. The 145 hardcover book in my library states it is a "revised and expanded" edition, but since the paperback books from Ballantine contained approximately 160 pages, I'm unsure just what that means.

But since I have a total of 2 dozen books on my shelf by Mr. Whiting, it is safe to say I very much enjoy his life's work of study and writing of WWII subjects. Taken altogether his books represent a small encyclopedia on that subject.

Be that as it may, if a reader is unfamiliar with Otto Skorzeny this book will provide adequate introduction to the soldier and man. It is surprising, at least to me, that this SS colonel-major general not only won so many awards (Oak Leafs to the Knight's Cross), one of very few having direct access to Adolph Hitler, and was significant in so many key battle situations: from rescuing Mussolini, to kidnapping Horthy's son to keep Hungary on the side of Germany, to the Battle of the Bulge, to being appointed prime commander to defend central Germany from the final Russian onslaught. I know I've left many elements out but this guy was a wonder concering bravery and being in key areas throughout WWII. He had a bit of a hand in channeling gold and valuables out of Germany, working with Bormann and the Odessa, and later spent much time in Argentina with the Perons. To the extent of becoming the main paramour of Evita, eventually ensuring her a safe burial, and getting Juan out of the country in one piece, alive. He also indirectly worked for the CIA and the General Gehlen network. This guy was not only very brave but was destined to be a man of history. Among the Nazis he seemed to be not only a man of ethics but one also of great reality. And while he certainly could be a man of great violence he was also a man respected by those he had fought against.

A couple other episodes included in this study are the subjects of whether or not he actually had a part in the talked about assassination attemps during the Bulge on Eisenhower and Churchill's communications with the Duce. Whether Eisenhower was ever truly a target or whether Churchill had a hand in the murder of the Duce are two subjects not given a satisfactory answer in this book.

But from a WWII reader standpoint, this small volume of 145 pages with maps and photos is well worth the reading.

Semper Fi.

I'm really surprised that such a terribly written and edited book could make it past an editor or publisher and into print. Much of the information and history presented was interesting, I'll grant, but the prose are terrible, awkward and disjointed and I found myself getting angry at the author for his constant blunders. For instance, one is constantly forced to reread sentances to figure out who is saying what. I even found myself rearranging paragraphs in my head that seem presented in the wrong order or out of place. Whiting also seems as though he has never read any other history authors as he ignores standard conventions. A fan of WWII history and biographies is accustomed to certain standards in translations of certain words, phrases and the like. So, a given general in conversation with Hitler will of course have his sentance translated into english for the reader, but the author will leave the "..., mein Fuhrer" untranslated at the end. Whiting tediously ends the translations instead with phrasing such as "..., my Leader" or "The Leader", instead of the usual Der Fuhrer. However, he is inconsistant in almost every other way, using German or English ranks interchangeably; writing Gruppenfuhrer or major general for the same person at different places.

Whiting also misses a great deal of the drama in his subject matter. A good author can take a few facts and subtly draw out some of the passions or motives of the people he's talking about. Whiting just states simple facts in a colorless way. He leaves interesting tidbits unexplored. He doesnt follow up some of his themes so we know what happens to interesting characters. I really should stop writing. I could go on and on. I would steer readers away from anything this author has written. This book reads like a long junior high school history essay; clunky and distracting. Horrible